Therapeutic garment



Aug. 1, 1944. c. A. MULLER THERAPEUTIC GARMENT Filed July 22, 1942 Invent-Or:

l ll lll l -IH M .H w HUM? 0 w 6 H m m H H H Patented Aug. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THERAPEUTIC GA MENT- Caroline A. Muller, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July 22, 1942, Serial No. 451,835 4 Claims. (01. 2-27) This invention relates to a garment or abdominal belt, and particularly to such a garment constructed and arranged to have a hygienic or therapeutic effect. The garment will also have the function of holding the figure of 'the wearer in desired shape or position.

Quite a few women are aflected with fallen and collapsed organs. Many of these conditions are well recognized as definite ailments by the medical profession. Such ailments areoften accompanied with considerable pain, especially when the patient must walk quite a little or be on -her feet during her work. 1

It is an object of this invention to provide a comparatively simple and eflicient garment provided with means for affording great relief in many ptosis conditions, and one which will correct the posture of the wearer and be very comfortable to wear.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment in the form of a corset, or abdominal belt having an adjustable opening at its front, in the rear of which is a panel provided with one or more stiffening means, such as stays, extending vertically therein to form a substantial backing together with one or more straps, one of which is, disposed somewhat below the lower end of said stays, whereby said strap can be tightened against said stays giving the same an inward inclination so as to give an up-lift and supporting effect for the desired part of the body.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a garment such as above set forth, and

one which has a smooth line over the hips so that the outer garments may be fitted thereover without unsightly bulges or lumps.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the-accom panying drawing in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig.1 is a view in front elevation of the garment;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in front elevation shown on an enlarged scale with some parts broken away and others omitted;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and r Fig. 4 is a view in central vertical section showing somewhat diagrammatically the form of a pad used.

Referring to the drawing a garment is shown made from a sheet- In of suitable fabric material,

V the bottom, of the garment.

the same being adapted to extend about and enclose the portion of the body adjacent the waist or abdomen. Said sheet preferably will'have suitable hems Illa and lflb at its top and bottom and the same may be provided with vertically extending stiffening means or stays ll circumferentially spaced thereabout. At the front portion thereof and at one side of the center of the garment the same is provided with a longitudinally extending opening lllc extending throughout the length thereof. Suitable' fastening means l2 are secured to the edges of the garment at each side of the opening I00 and while these may be of any desired type which are quickly and easily 'engageable and disengageable, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated said fastening means include loops or eyelets" l-Za secured at one side of the opening and'headed pins l2b. At the lower part of the'garment,;fastening means l3 are used at each side of opening I00 and while these also may be of any readily ena lacing cord l5 extends. It will thus be seen that opening llld is adjustable or may be varied in size by manipulation of cord l5. Extending across opening llld in the rearof cord l5 and secured to the garment at either side of said opening is a, panel l6 made of veryfle'xible fabric material. While the length of this panel may be varied, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it extends substantially from the band or hem llla to a line spaced quite a distance from Panel l6 will-be provided centrally thereof with one or more stiffening means or stays. While in some cases one central stay is used,'preferably and in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, two stays H are provided spaced a comparatively short distance apart. These stays extend from the top of panel l5 downwardly a considerable distance. The garment is also provided with a .plurality of straps l8'extending across opening llld. These straps have portions lBa secured to the garment at one side of said opening and provided with buckles 20. Buckles 20 are ar ranged so as to be disposed substantially at the center of opening lid transversely thereof. Straps l8 have other portions lib secured to the garment at the opposite side of opening lld which will cooperate with buckles 20. Suitable keepers 2| are secured to the garment adjacent the ends of portions I81) and said portions will lower ends of stays l1 terminate substantially at or just below the vertical center of the lower strap l8. It is customary to use a pad indicated as 22, with the garment, andQthis pad may take various shapes according to the ailment which is being treated. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated pad 22 is shown as having its bottom in a straight line or one plane and said bottom is substantially flush with the lower edge of the lower strap It. The shape of the pad in vertical cross section is shown in Fig. 4. Pad 22 is of sufficient width to span opening "id. The garment is preferably provided with straps 23 having suitable fasteners 24 thereon adapted to engage and support the hose of the wearer.,

In operation, the garment will be placed aboutthe body of the patient or wearer and fasteners 12 and I3 engaged. The straps It will be suitably placed to give the tightening effect on the garment where it is needed. The cord l5 will, of course, be adjusted to give the proper tension on the garment. The width of the opening llld can thus be varied as desired. It is desired to have a lifting or supporting effect on the body, and this is accomplished by the straps l8 co-operatingwith the panel l6, and the stays H. The panel with the stays l1 forms a backing having a proper area for supporting the body and preventing bulging or wrinkling of the skin or flesh as the garment is tightened. The lower strap l8 as described, extends below the lower end of the stays H, and is tightened against said stays. This not only prevents the stays from projecting outwardly, but turns their lower ends inwardly thus giving a supporting or lifting effect. If a pad is used as is frequently the case, the panel I6 and the stays I! act effectively to hold the pad and form a substantial backing therefor. When a pad is used, it will, of course, be of the proper shape for the particular ailment, and will be located to give the desired effect. The pad may be be disposed under or within said keepers. The

which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in; the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hygienic garment for supporting certain organs in the abdomen having in combination, afabric sheet adapted to embrace the body adjacent the waist having an opening at its front spaced from the center thereof, readily engageable and disengageable fastening means for connecting the parts of said sheet at each side of said opening, said garment having an opening substantially at its front central portion, means for connecting the edges of said sheet adjacent said last mentioned opening and for varying the size of said opening, a fabric panel extending across said last mentioned opening in the rear of said last mentioned means, a pair of vertically spaced comparatively narrow straps extending across said last mentioned opening at an intermediate point therein and a stiffening means in said panel extending downwardly to substantially the center of the lower of said straps whereby said panel and means will form a backing for a pad or the portion of the body disposed in the.

rear of said panel to properly distribute pressure thereon and said strap will press against the lower end of said means to give an uplifting effect.

-substantially at its front central portion, means for connecting the edges of said sheet adjacent said last mentioned opening and for varying the size of said opening, a fabric panel extending across said last mentioned opening in the rear .of

said last mentioned means, stiffening means in said panel, a pair of vertically placed comparatively narrow straps secured to said sheet at each side of said last mentioned opening, the straps at one side of said opening having buckles thereon disposed substantially at the center of said opening alined with said stiffening means and copractice and has been found to be very successful and-efficient. Applicant has worked with many physicians and these are enthusiastic about the results obtained. The garment has been efi'ectively used to give relief in cases of backache,

prolapsed kidneys, constipation, fallen womb, and

- other ptosis conditions. The garment is a great boon to women who are on their feet a great deal in their work. It "greatly assists in obtaining a proper posture and this gives comfort and also relief from quite a few ailments.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a simple and efficient hygienic or therapeutic garment and one that can be used to give great relief in many cases of collapsed or fallen organs as well as other ailments. It has been used by-a great many people who have found great comfort and relief in the wearing thereof. 'It will, of course, be understood that various changes 'may be made in the form, details, ar-

rangement and proportions of the parts, without operating with the straps at the opposite side of said opening.

3. A hygienic garment for supporting certain organs in the abdome having in combination, a fabric sheet adapted t d embrace the body adjacent the waist, said garment having an opening substantially at its front central portion, means for connectingthe edges of said sheet adjacent said last mentioned opening and for varying the size of said opening, a fabric panel extending across said last mentioned opening in the rear of said last mentioned means, a pair of vertically spaced comparatively narrow straps spanning said opening, and one or more stays in said panel substantially at the center thereof extending downwardly from its top to substantially the center of the lower of said straps, a pad disposed in the rear of said panel having its lower edge substantially in line with the lower edge of the lower of said straps whereby said stays will form a backing for said padand the ends of said stays may press against said lower strap and be pressed inwardly thereby.

4. A hygienic garment for supporting certain organs in the abdomen having in combination, a fabric sheet adaptedto embrace the body adof said panel extending downwardly from the top thereof to a line spaced from the bottom of said panel, and adjustable means spanning said opening and disposed Just above the lower end of said stays to exert an inward inclination for giving a supporting effect. g

- CAROLINE A. MULLER. 

